


Midnight in Starling City

by Trollvine



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Arrow - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-03-26
Packaged: 2018-01-17 01:44:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1369342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trollvine/pseuds/Trollvine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new criminal gets the drop on Oliver Queen, but he's saved by a mysterious new ally.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight in Starling City

**Author's Note:**

> This is a really quick hashing of an idea i'd love to expand on. This will very likely be updated/rewritten in the future, but i'd love some input on what i have so far.

Oliver Queen perched on the second story deck of the apartment complex, peering onto the poorly illuminated street. A cool breeze sighed around the old building, gently turning over leaves on the sidewalk below. 

"Oliver." Felicity's voice buzzed in his earpiece. "The police scanner is going off. The morgue was broken into again, this time they've seen the suspect and are giving chase. He's headed towards you on foot, should be there in about two minutes." 

Oliver nodded. "Thanks Felicity. I'll be here when he comes." He stood, gripping the fire escape ladder and sliding down to the street. As his feet hit the concrete, he heard soft flapping sound coming from above him. He looked up and saw, a block away, the largest owl he had ever seen. The bird was in flight, it's massive wings flapping gently as it gained the sky, winging it's way east over the buildings. He blinked, then shook his head. He heard the sound of footsteps, and drew an arrow. "Alright." He murmured. "Time to get some answers." 

The crashing sound behind him caused him to whirl, just in time to be bowled over by the suspect he had been attempting to ambush. He rolled as he fell, regaining his feet in time to see his target, barreling down the street at a breakneck pace. 

Pavement flew beneath Oliver's feet as he sprinted down the empty street. The cool night was unevenly illuminated by a string of poorly maintained street lights, throwing random blotches of orange glow onto the road. He could hear the uneven footsteps of his quarry ahead of him, and sped up, tapping his earpiece. 

"Felicity, I need eyes on this thing. Have you found it yet?" 

Felicity's voice crackled through the small device. "I'm trying Oliver, it's fast. I'm accessing the public cameras on the street lights, but they're slow, it's hard to keep up! The link.. Right turn!" 

Oliver turned right instantly, almost skidding on the loose gravel. The alleyway he was turning into was dark, deep shadows stretching up the grim brick walls on either side. He slowed his run, the sound of his footsteps seeming to become muffled in the bleak darkness. He tapped his earpiece again. "Felicity?" 

"Ozzzzkkkkkktttttt---rrr?" Felicity's voice snapped and faded in the earpiece. Oliver tapped it again in frustration.

"Felicity, i-" He stopped. His breathing wasn't the only rasping sound in the alley. He turned to draw an arrow, bow already in hand, but something grabbed his hand. Cold flesh gripped his wrist like a vice. He stepped into the move with practiced ease, jabbing his elbow back with a sharp thrust. He gasped out loud as it connected with something like concrete, solid and unyielding. There was a snarl, guttural and loud, and his arm was twisted to the side, forcing him to one knee. Oliver dropped his bow, grabbing his utility knife from his belt and stabbing quickly into his assailant's leg. The thing snarled, twisting itself and hurling Oliver backwards into the side of a dumpster. 

The impact sent his head reeling, stars exploding in the corners of his vision. He felt something give deep in his shoulder, making him cry out in pain. He winced, looking up as he heard the approach of footsteps. 

The figure walked towards him. It passed through a thin sliver of light, and Oliver's mouth fell open. It had gray skin, muscles stretched tight over a tall but hunched skeleton. It was covered in what looked like stitched rags of black leather. The thing's fingers were talons, metallic but crusted in filth. But the most fearsome features were on it's head. Locks of greasy black hair tumbled in front of a face illuminated by the hellish red glow of it's eyes. It's mouth hung slack, razor sharp teeth jutting out of crimson gums. It snarled and roared, leaping at Oliver, who raised his bow and braced himself.

There was a crack, and a loud, rushing hiss, and something leapt off the dumpster he had crashed into. Oliver opened his eyes, but had to blink. He couldn't see anything. His eyes roved, panicked, but there was nothing. The pain is his shoulder flared as he squirmed, trying to see something in an inky darkness so cloying and absolute it seemed to numb everything around his. He could faintly hear the creature snarling, and blows being exchanged. Someone else was grunting in the alley. 

Oliver reached to his earpiece. "Felicity? Felicity?! Can you hear me?!" The earpiece remained silent.  
Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Oliver rolled sideways, towards where he thought his bow might be. He stumbled to his feet, barely, and whipped his head around. The darkness seemed to be shimmering slightly, as light tried to fight it's way through. He took a step backwards, feeling his bow clack against his feet. He could hear the rasping of his former quarry as he knelt to grab it, whipping the last arrow from his quiver and pointing it in the direction of the sound. The darkness, now quavering like some kind of mist, began to dissipate. Oliver blinked as light barely reclaimed the alley. His quarry was gone.

His earpiece crackled to life. "Oliver? Oliver, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Felicity's voice buzzed. 

Oliver slacked off pressure on his arrow. The pain in his shoulder was agony, throbbing into his head with each movement. "I'll be fine Felicity. Tell Dig i'll need a ride from the west side bridge. I've got some research you can do for me too. I've never seen anything like it, and i'd like some answers." 

"Well, maybe I can give you a few." Oliver gasped in shock as a voice behind him spoke. He turned, cocking his arrow again in one swift motion. The man behind him stood in the shadows of the alley, but Oliver could see his goggles, glowing green in the inky gloom. The man stepped forward, clad in black leather with a dark red jerkin over his chest, and a black leather hood covering his head. A bronze crescent moon gleamed dimly from his belt in the alleyway, and the massive owl Oliver had seen earlier perched on the mans shoulder.  
"Dr. Mid-Nite." He smiled and nodded his head. "At your service."


End file.
